The invention pertains to a thermoelectric thin-layer element with a first and a second thermoelectric layer, wherein the layers are configured to form a p-n junction. The invention also pertains to a method for the production of a thermoelectric element of this type and to a thermoelectric generator.
A thermoelectric element of the class in question is known from EP 1 287 566 B1. In this thermoelectric element, the efficiency which is achieved is higher than in conventional thermoelectric elements because the p-n junction is formed essentially over the entire extent of the n- and p-layers, wherein a temperature gradient is applied along the p-n boundary layer. A temperature difference is thus created along this elongated p-n junction between the two ends of the p-n layer package, which leads to a thermoelectric element with much greater efficiency than that of conventional thermoelectric elements. The thermoelectric element of the class in question is contacted selectively at the n- and p-layers. This can be done either by the alloying of the contacts into place and the p-n junctions thus connected to each other or by contacting the n- and p-layers directly. To combine several thermoelectric elements of the class in question into a module, these elements are connected in series by crisscrossing lines. Thermally, the individual thermoelectric elements of the module are connected in parallel.